BY ROSEMARY
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday directly blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for weeks of nationwide demonstrations that human rights groups say have left more than 3,000 people dead, escalating an already bitter war of words between Tehran and Washington.
In remarks carried by Iranian state media, Khamenei said the United States president bore responsibility for the bloodshed and destruction that followed the unrest. He accused Trump of inflicting casualties, damage and what he described as slander against the Iranian nation, portraying the protests as part of a foreign-backed campaign to destabilize the Islamic Republic.
The demonstrations erupted on December 28 over rising prices, unemployment and broader economic hardship, before quickly expanding into widespread protests calling for an end to clerical rule. What began as localized economic grievances evolved into the most serious challenge to Iran’s leadership in years, spreading to cities and towns across the country and drawing an intense security response from authorities.
Trump repeatedly weighed in during the unrest, issuing warnings to Tehran and threatening “very strong action” if Iran carried out executions of detained protesters. On Friday, however, he struck a more conciliatory tone in a social media post, thanking Iran’s leaders and suggesting they had stepped back from plans for mass executions. Iranian officials swiftly denied that any such executions had been planned, saying there was “no plan to hang people.”
In comments that appeared to be a direct response to Trump’s statements, Khamenei said Iran would not allow itself to be dragged into war, but warned that those he called domestic and international criminals would not go unpunished. His remarks signaled both defiance toward external pressure and a determination to continue a hard line at home.
Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority in Iran, said that “several thousand deaths” had occurred during the unrest and blamed Iran’s longtime adversaries, the United States and Israel, for orchestrating the violence. He accused individuals linked to both countries of causing widespread damage, killing thousands, setting fires, destroying public property and sowing chaos across the nation. Those actions, he said, amounted to grave crimes and false accusations against the Islamic Republic.
Independent verification of casualty figures has been difficult. A U.S.-based human rights organization has reported that it verified at least 3,090 deaths, including nearly 2,900 protesters, as well as more than 22,000 arrests. Iranian officials have not released comprehensive figures, and authorities have rejected claims that security forces were responsible for mass killings, instead portraying those killed as victims of unrest incited by foreign-backed groups.
Last week, Iran’s prosecutor general said detainees would face severe punishment. He said those in custody included people accused of aiding rioters and terrorists who attacked security forces and public property, as well as what he described as mercenaries who took up arms and spread fear among citizens. State media quoted him as saying that all such perpetrators would be treated as “mohareb,” an Islamic legal term meaning those who wage war against God, a charge that carries the death penalty under Iranian law. He said investigations would proceed without leniency or tolerance.
The flow of information from Iran during the unrest was heavily restricted by widespread internet shutdowns, complicating efforts by journalists and rights groups to assess events on the ground. On Saturday, authorities partially restored internet access, and state-linked news agencies reported that service had returned for some users. Domestic media outlets also said text messaging services were being reactivated after days of disruption.
Internet monitoring groups noted a slight rise in connectivity after more than a week of near-total shutdown, though access remained far below normal levels. Residents in several cities said they noticed connections returning in the early hours of Saturday morning. One resident of Karaj, west of Tehran, an area that experienced some of the most intense clashes, said the internet came back before dawn and described Thursday as the peak of violence in the city. Iranians living abroad also reported being able to reach family and friends inside the country after days of silence.
Iranian authorities say the crackdown has largely brought the protests under control. State media has reported the arrest of thousands of people it describes as rioters and terrorists, including individuals allegedly linked to opposition groups based overseas that advocate the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
Among those detained, state media identified several alleged ringleaders, including a woman named Nazanin Baradaran, who was arrested following what officials described as complex intelligence operations. According to the reports, she operated under a pseudonym and was accused of acting on behalf of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, helping to organize unrest. Independent confirmation of these claims has not been possible.
Pahlavi, a prominent opposition figure living abroad, has positioned himself as a potential leader should Iran’s current system collapse and has said he would seek to restore diplomatic relations between Iran and Israel if he were to assume power. Israeli officials have expressed support for him, and in a rare public comment this month, Israel’s heritage minister said Israeli operatives were active inside Iran with the aim of weakening its capabilities, while denying they were directly attempting to overthrow the country’s leadership.
As Iran emerges from weeks of turmoil, tensions with the United States remain high. Khamenei’s remarks underscored the leadership’s narrative that the unrest was fueled by foreign enemies rather than domestic discontent, even as economic pressure and political frustration continue to simmer beneath the surface.
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